How do I get a US visa?
Complete the DS-160, pay the $185 fee, then attend biometrics and an interview at a US embassy or consulate. Visa Waiver Program nationals apply for an ESTA instead.
Updated
Start by checking whether you need a visa
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can visit the US for 90 days or less without a visa. They apply for an ESTA online instead, valid up to two years or until the passport expires.
Everyone else needs a nonimmigrant visa in the right category: B-2 for tourism, B-1 for business, F for study, H or L for work. The category sets your fee and the evidence you need.
The six steps to a US visa
- Confirm you actually need a visa. If your nationality is on the Visa Waiver Program list, apply for an ESTA and stop here.
- Pick the category that matches your trip. Many posts issue a combined B1/B2 covering both tourism and business.
- Complete Form DS-160 online. Upload a compliant photo, print the confirmation page and keep the barcode, because no post will see you without it.
- Pay the application fee: $185 for B1/B2 and other non-petition-based visas, $205 for petition-based H, L, O, P, Q and R categories.
- Book your appointments. Many posts require two: biometrics at an Applicant Service Centre, then the consular interview.
- Attend the interview and wait for your passport. If the visa is approved, the post keeps your passport and returns it by courier or collection point.
How the appointments work
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Applicant Service Centre | Fingerprints and a photo are collected. Some posts combine this with the interview. |
| Consular interview | An officer decides whether you qualify. Most applicants must attend in person. |
| Passport return | An approved visa is printed in your passport, which comes back by courier or to a collection point. |
Interview waivers, sometimes called dropbox, are now narrow. Since 1 October 2025 most applicants must be interviewed in person, including children under 14 and applicants over 79. The exceptions are some diplomatic categories and B1/B2 or H-2A renewals within 12 months of expiry.
For booking, wait times and rescheduling, see how do I schedule a US visa appointment.
Important: The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another person, and paying it does not reserve a visa. If you are refused, you pay again to reapply.
Consular officers often ask where you will stay. A confirmed hotel booking with free cancellation answers that, and on trip1 you can pay in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC or any of 120+ cryptocurrencies through CoinGate.
Fees and requirements change and vary by post and nationality, so confirm them on travel.state.gov before you apply. A visa lets you request entry; the border officer decides admission.
Getting a US visa - FAQ
For a B1/B2 visitor visa you need a passport valid at least six months beyond your stay, unless your country is exempt, the DS-160 confirmation page, the fee receipt and a compliant photo. At the interview you must show the purpose of your trip, that you will leave the US afterwards and that you can pay for the trip. Employment and family ties help show this.
The application fee is USD 185 for a B1/B2 tourist or business visa and other non-petition visas, and USD 205 for petition-based H, L, O, P, Q and R visas. The fee is non-refundable. Depending on your nationality, you may also pay a visa issuance fee after approval, so confirm the total on travel.state.gov before you pay.
It depends mostly on the wait for an interview, which varies by embassy, season and visa category. Check the interview wait time for your city on travel.state.gov before you book flights. After the interview, some cases need extra administrative processing, and an approved passport still has to be returned by courier or collection point.
It depends on your nationality: the US sets visa validity and the number of entries country by country, shown in the reciprocity tables on travel.state.gov. Validity is not the same as length of stay. The CBP officer decides how long you can stay on each visit, and a valid visa in an expired passport can still be used with your new passport.
Rarely. Since 1 October 2025 almost all applicants, including children under 14 and people over 79, must be interviewed in person. The main exceptions are some diplomatic and official visas and renewals of a B1/B2 or H-2A visa that expired within 12 months, if you apply in your country of nationality or residence and have never been refused.
Not for tourism or business trips of 90 days or less. Citizens of the Visa Waiver Program countries, including the UK, Australia, Japan and most EU countries, apply for an ESTA online instead. You still need a visa to study, work or stay longer than 90 days, or if your ESTA is refused.